Online House Hunter: A house by the sea

This two-bedroom terrace home at Brighton and Hove is just a stone's throw from the sea

IF the spring sunshine is making you dream already of a stay by the sea then how how about a home by the seaside?

With so many coastal towns within an easy commute of London or other major cities, it’s an option that appeals to many.

There’s the joys of the beach in the summer – including the chance of walking to it rather than having to find parking – but in the winter there are also brisk coastal walks to refresh the body and soul.

A home in such a desired location also offers the opportunity for home-swaps or renting out your holiday while you’re away to other holidaying families. There are a number of Home Exchange or House-Swap websites that will talk you through the process.

And, of course, a home in such a location should prove an easier sell when it comes to moving on.

But it’s the buy-to-let market that might be most tempted by a seaside home: A desirable location is one of the key factors in finding the right sort of home to invest in and a des res by the coast could tick all of the boxes.

A quick search of our online property database reveals a range of potential seaside homes – whether you’re looking to buy your first home, move house or buy a holiday home to rent out.

Choose a two-bedroom home for sale at Brighton and Hove for example and you not only find a place by the sea and a vibrant cultural life in the city but you are also an option for students seeking university accommodation. The city also hosts a number of festivals each year which again makes it appealing for the buy-to-let entrepreneur.

Similarly Portsmouth has the benefits of good beaches (at Southsea for example) but also a university, the naval base and a rich history attracting tens of thousands of tourists each year. There’s a three-bedroom penthouse suite for sale at the moment for just under £1m which has panoramic views of the Solent and the Isle of Wight

Those looking for a quieter life, perhaps a retirement home, might be tempted for the more peaceful settings such as Lymington in Hampshire which has the added bonus of being close to the New Forest. There is also a car ferry from Lymington to Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight. This three-bedroom house for sale in Kings Saltern Road, for example, includes easy access to the marinas.

Remember, you can use the map facility on our online property search engine to choose a home as close to the sea as you wish. But if you like it very close, you may want to check how prone it is to flooding before placing a deposit!

Thank you for that great article. I also tried house-swapping. It is great. Last year I bartered a vacation home on http://www.barterquest.com. So we lived in the mountains for three weeks. We saved a lot of money! This year we will try to get a house near the sea.